Apocalyptic Paths
by Victoria Hughes
Summary: [Discontinued] AU fic. Remy and Belladonna are adoptive brother and sister, on the run from Mr. Sinister. Their flight takes them straight to the XMen but the Xavier Institute has some secrets of its own ...
1. The Bad Dream Begins

**Apocalyptic Paths**

A Gambit-centric Alternate Universe fic by Vikki

Disclaimer:  Gambit and company are registered trademarks of Marvel Enterprises.  I do not claim to own them, no matter how much I may wish I did.  No profit is being made from this work of fiction.  Please do not sue me.

Flame Policy:  You flame, I kill – Ran Fujimiya

Author's pre-notes:  This fic is AU, meaning it takes place in a universe other than the Marvel one we all know and love.  Some things are altered only slightly; some things have undergone a great deal of change.  I'd like to think I've stayed true to Gambit's personality, but as this is my first Remy-centric fic, I can always use help.

Also, to give credit where it is due:  There is a fic entitled 'Running', by brattax23, from which I drew a lot of ideas for this fic.  Please read it here:  http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=792748  Needless to say, it's very good.

*   *   *

Prologue: The Bad Dream Begins

            It was smoky.

            Belladonna LeBeau sat up in her bed and clutched her favorite teddy bear to her chest.  Monsieur Teddy was almost as big as her own small 7-year-old body.  She blinked sleep blearily from her eyes and sat up in bed.  "Mommy?"

            Mommy didn't reply.  Belladonna couldn't see in the smoke.  It made her cough.  She was scared.  "Mommy!  It's smoky!"

            Mommy still didn't answer.  Belladonna remembered from school that when it was smoky she should crawl to her bedroom door and see if it was hot, because smoke meant there was a fire.  She grasped Monsieur Teddy and let herself down from her bed, and she crawled to the door.  "Mommy!  Daddy!  Where are you?"

            She could hear crackly noises, but she didn't hear Mommy or Daddy.  Mommy and Daddy slept in the room next to Belladonna.  Were they still sleeping?  Belladonna knew that Daddy wouldn't have slept through a fire.  He woke up even when Belladonna was being as quiet as a mouse.  Daddy was a 'light sleeper' according to Mommy.

            Belladonna reached her door.  It was warm.  She remembered that she should go to her window and shout for help if the door was warm, but Mommy and Daddy were only in the next room, and she really wanted Mommy!

            She opened the door.  There was more smoke.  Belladonna coughed and buried her face in Monsieur Teddy.  Her eyes were burning.  She was crying.  She couldn't crawl any further because her chest hurt and her eyes hurt.  She wanted Mommy.

            "Belle!"

            Belladonna didn't look up because her eyes burned too much, but she knew who had said her name.  It was Remy.  Remy was the only one who ever called her 'Belle'.  Julien only called her 'Belladonna'.

Remy was coming up the stairs.  "Remy!"  She said into Monsieur Teddy.

            "Belle, where are you?"

            "I'm here!" she shouted, but her voice was muffled.  "I'm here!"

            "Belle!"  Remy was closer.  Belladonna could hear him running up the steps.  He was taking them two at a time.  He always did.  "Stay where you are, I'll find – there you are!"

            Belladonna still didn't look up because it hurt too much, but she felt Remy's arms wrapping around her, squeezing her.  They reminded her of Daddy's hugs.  She wanted Daddy.  "Are you hurt?"

            "Where's Daddy!?" Belladonna demanded into Monsieur Teddy's plush lining.  "And where's Mommy?"

            Remy didn't hear her.  "It's okay.  Everything will be okay."  He coughed.

            Except Belladonna knew that everything would _not_ be okay, because the house was burning, and Mommy and Daddy were not here.  And neither was Julien.  Everything would only be okay if everyone was together and the fire was gone.

            Remy was tugging at her now.  "Come on, Belle, we've got to get out of the house," he said.

            Belle finally looked up at Remy.  His eyes were glowing.  Remy's eyes always glowed in the dark.  It used to scare her.  "I want Mommy!  Where's Daddy!?" she said again.

            Remy looked worried.  "I don't know.  But they said that in a fire you should get out of the house, right?"

            Belladonna remembered that.  She nodded and coughed.  "It's hard to breathe," she said.

            "It's the smoke.  Let's go!"  Remy crawled towards the stairs.  Belladonna followed him, still clutching Monsieur Teddy.

            They got to the bottom of the stairs, but the rug in front of the door was burning.  There was so much smoke.  Belladonna was crying because it hurt so much, and she couldn't stop coughing.  Remy was coughing a lot too.  "We – _coff__ coff_ – have to go to a – _coff_– window or something," he choked out.

            "I'm _– coff_ – scared!" Belladonna wailed.

            Remy didn't answer.  He tugged her sleeve and pulled her towards the dining room.

            The windows in the dining room were closed.  There was fire, but it wasn't near the windows yet.  Remy told Belladonna to sit down in the corner.  She curled up in the corner and hugged Monsieur Teddy as tightly as she could.  He smelled smoky.

Remy couldn't lift the windows because they were stuck.  He hit one of them with Mommy's wooden vase and it broke.  "I'm going to – _coff_ – to push you through the window!" he said, lifting Belladonna and Monsieur Teddy.  "I'll come out right after you—"

But as Remy half-carried her to the window, she saw Julien walking towards them through the smoke – and from through the fire!  He wasn't even burned.  He looked angry.  "Julien!" she shouted.

Remy turned around very quickly.  "Julien—" he repeated.

Julien had a sword!  He pointed it at Remy's chest.  "It's your fault that Mom and Dad died!  It's your fault!"  He wasn't coughing.  It was like he wasn't in the smoke at all.

Remy was shaking.  Belladonna could feel him shaking against her.  "You – _coff__ coff coff_ – what are you talking -!"

"Everything is your fault!  He wants you!" Julien screamed.  "I have to kill you!  I have to stop it!"

Belladonna's head was hurting.  It hurt so much that she buried her head in Monsieur Teddy and shut her eyes and cried and cried.  She wanted Mommy and Daddy.  She wanted to wake up.  It was all just a bad dream.  It was all just a dream …

She heard the fire get louder, crashing noises, and a window breaking.  She heard a strange voice.  And she was falling – falling in Remy's arms.

She fell back asleep, and the dream ended.

*   *   *

Author's Notes:  Please assume all dialogue in the prologue took place in Cajun French, hence the lack of accent.

The infantile nature of a lot of the narration is the result of my efforts to get inside a 7-year-old's head.  I think I failed miserably, but it was worth a try.  Future narration will be a bit more … detached.  I'll try to spend less time inside any given character's head.

Uh, yeah – please review!  ^^x;;;; I do love reviews, and they are a wonderful motivator for me!

~~Vikki


	2. The Fifth Discovery

**Chapter 1:  The Fifth Discovery**

Author's Notes:  AU fic.  Any and all differences from the characters you know and love can be attributed to this fact.  However, if my version of Bobby Blake really drives you crazy, let me know.  My understanding of Iceman is really limited …

*   *   *

            _Chicago isn't that different from New York City_, Remy LeBeau thought.  _No one pays attention to anything._

            Which was, in Remy's line of work, a good thing.  It was almost sundown, but the auburn-haired young man hadn't yet taken off his sunglasses.  His hands were buried in the pockets of his oversized brown duster; the shoulders were too wide for him, and it hung off his thin frame.  His jeans were well-worn and falling apart at the knees; his black t-shirt was generic and cheap.

The place he'd been staring at all day was hardly in his 'class' – the Antique Mosaic, a 'museum' showing off and putting up for auction a portion of the private collection of priceless antique items owned by Henry Guess.  This collection included the Book of Picard, supposedly once owned by the illustrious Mucchini family before it was rudely stolen.  The Mucchini's wanted it back in the worst way, and they were willing to pay handsomely for it.  Remy smiled slowly to himself.

However, you could only enter the Mosaic after paying a high entrance fee, obviously installed to prevent anyone with an income under two hundred thousand from entering.  Clearly Mr. Guess wanted to be sure his possessions stayed in the higher classes.

Remy did not intend to let that stop him, or his 'sister'.  This was their first big heist, and they couldn't afford to mess up.  It would blemish their reputation as master thieves forever, barring them from 'high-class' heists, where the real money lay.

Remy couldn't let that happen.  For Belle's sake.

"We'll pull it off," he whispered to himself, smirking slightly.  "We're de best dere is."

He had to be right.  He knew he was.

*   *   *

            What Remy didn't know about – couldn't have known about – was the quiet conversation taking place in Mr. Guess' office even as he spoke.

            "Are you certain of this?" Henry Guess asked urgently of his guest.  "Tonight?"

            "Positive.  Yes, he'll come tonight – along with his partner," said the guest.

            "Well – what do you propose I do?"  Guess was slightly frantic.  He needed the money from this sale more than he cared to admit.  "I can't have anything stolen, it'll look bad!"

            "It's all right, Mr. Guess," said the visitor, a smile gracing his lips.  "I and my friends will apprehend the thief tonight, if you'll just give me free reign.  Do not fear."

            Henry Guess nodded, relaxing instinctively.  The man was strangely persuasive.  "Okay.  Whatever you need …" he trailed off.

            "All I need is that thief."  The guest smiled gently again.  "I appreciate your willingness to cooperate."

            "Never a doubt," Henry nodded, standing.  "Do whatever you need done.  Just don't let my collection be hurt …"

            "Of course not, Mr. Guess.  Of course not."

*   *   *

            Belladonna liked them odds.

            "This is painfully easy," she informed her brother in Cajun French as they approached the Antique Mosaic.  "The security here is a joke, from what I've heard and seen."

            Remy nodded absently.  Belladonna suppressed a sigh of frustration at her brother's insistence on wearing sunglasses, even when there was no one around to see him; they made it harder for her to determine what he was thinking about.  "Don't take anything for granted," he warned half-heartedly.  "We've got to do this perfectly, and I mean **perfectly**.  This is our break into—"

            "The big time, I know, I know," Belladonna rolled her eyes at her worried brother.  "We'll do fine.  Did you eat?" she demanded, poking him in the ribs.  He was far too thin for his height, and lately a lot of his ribs showed.

            Remy smirked slightly.  "Did _you_?" he shot back.

            "Of course.  Don't need my stomach growling halfway through."

            Remy knew the value of a half-full stomach – not too full to be quick, but not too empty to be painful.  His slight smile was proud.  "Let's get started."

            The Antique Mosaic was surrounded by a wall about seven feet high – a decorative, but effective barrier.  Security **was** a joke, despite what the young thieves' employer believed; two Rent-a-Cops were at the door (dozing, Remy had noted with wry amusement); there was one easily visible security camera at the iron-wrought gate and an intercom; and when Remy and Belladonna had scouted the place out earlier, the only security inside was a series of security cameras, hooked up to a standard computer.

            It was almost as if the system had been tailored for an easy break-in by Belladonna LeBeau.

Belladonna LeBeau could speak to computers.

            "Watch my back, no?"  Belladonna said to Remy.  Remy nodded, already looking past her, watching.  Belladonna put her fingers against the camera outside the gate and shut her eyes.

            _15 security cameras sight nothing nothing nothing movement replay movement replay what is that camera 4 two people replay two people no details poor picture too grainy almost black and white replay no details what are they_

_            Camera all set replay double loop last 3 hours no interference irrevocable erase log data entry delete delete delete cache empty_

Belladonna pulled her fingers away from the camera and opened her eyes, taking a deep breath.  She looked up at Remy.  "I saw two people on camera four that weren't there when we did our security assessment," she said softly.  "The picture was too grainy to get a better look, even though I replayed the tape a couple of times.  And before you ask, yes, I set up the cameras to replay the tapes of the last three hours repeatedly _and_ erased logged data of my interference," she added with a slightly exasperated tone.  Remy always asked her if she'd done that, ever since she'd forgotten to erase her computer interference two months before.

            Remy was thumbing his chin.  "We're gonna have to wing this a bit," he observed.  "We can't wait on this theft.  We don't have any money left."  He was smirking, but Belladonna knew that look.  It was the closest her brother ever got to allowing himself to look worried.

            "If it's that worrisome, I can wait for a day," Belladonna said, putting her hand on Remy's arm.

            "I don't think so," Remy said, jerking his arm away.  "We can't have your stomach rumbling halfway through now, can we?" he grinned.

            Belladonna smacked his arm, willing to let the subject drop.  "Shut up.  We've got a Book to steal."

*   *   *

            Bobby Blake rolled his eyes.  "Boring."

            Scott Summers kept staring straight ahead.  "Shut up."

            "Boring."

            "Shut up."

            "Boring!"

            "Shut up!"

            "Why do we have to guard a stupid book?"  Bobby pointed to the offending item – a thick book with an elaborate, gold-wrought cover.  It could have fit into a relatively big pocket, as its cover was no bigger than Summers' hand.  "Book of Picard?  What kinda name is that?  Who cares about it?"

            "Iceman.  Shut.  Up."  Summers' voice was laced with suppressed annoyance.

            Bobby crossed his arms and pouted.  Quietly, trying to slip it by Cyclops, he whispered, "Boring."

            "Iceman!"

            Their budding argument was interrupted by a mental call to attention.  ~Cyclops, Iceman, be alert,~ said Jean Grey's voice in their heads.  ~They've come.~

*   *   *

            Jean Grey, telekinetic and weak telepath, firmly imagined herself out of existence as the two thieves – Remy and Belladonna LeBeau – ran past.  Remy's eyes brushed over where she stood as he passed, and Jean remembered what the Professor had said about him – he was among the best of all thieves.  Even without the petite girl running at his side, he would have easily bypassed the security system and stolen the Book of Picard.

            In fact, it was the girl that was his weakness.

            Only by strongly projecting the idea that she _was not there_ was Jean able to avoid Remy's gaze.  He still did a double take before sweeping by.

            They had to capture Remy without making him feel truly trapped; they had to stop him from stealing the Book of Picard while managing to gain his trust.

            As she pulled away from the wall and levitated herself towards the roof, she knew their task would not be easy.

*   *   *

            Cyclops couldn't hear the thieves coming, but a quick warning from ShadowCat as she phased through the wall was enough to put him on his toes.  Iceman, too, had 'powered up' (he looked like a human icicle) and was watching the door.  "Is this why we're guarding a stupid book?" he asked.

            Cyclops suppressed a sigh of exasperation.  "If you'd pay attention during briefings, you'd know—"

            The doorknob jimmied, the lock broke, and the door swung open to reveal—

            A prepared pair of thieves.

            Scott ducked as two playing cards, glowing strangely, flew by his head.  A _boom_ and the sound of collapsing plaster told him they had exploded against the far wall.  It was not entirely unexpected; the Professor had warned both Bobby and he about this odd power of Remy LeBeau's to charge objects with kinetic energy to turn them into bombs.

            Bobby was making icy spikes out of thin air and tossing them at Remy, frowning with concentration.  He was still pretty new to his powers, Scott thought to himself.  The thief, on the other hand, was dodging artfully.  "Belle!  Now!" he called, no sound of stress or worry in his voice.  His sunglasses kept Scott from seeing where the thief was looking.

            Cyclops spun around, looking for Remy's partner, but while he **was** prepared for an attack, he **wasn't** prepared for an abnormally thin blonde to slip by him expertly, snatch the book up, and run for the door.  "Let's go!" she called.

            Cyclops balked.  "ShadowCat!" he shouted.  "Runaway!"

            Out of the corner of his eye Cyclops saw Remy's head flick towards his voice.  It was enough of a distraction; Bobby grinned and cried, "A-_ha_!", flinging the ice spike that pinned the thief to the wall by his jacket.  Iceman then proceeded to do the dance of victory, which involved pumping his arms and shouting, "Woo-hoo!  Woo-hoo!  I rule!"

            Scott ignored all this in favor of turning back, quickly, to the fleeing Belladonna as she looked back to see Remy get pinned to the wall.  "_Non_!" she cried, but before she could do anything, Cyclops' plea was answered; ShadowCat came through the wall behind Belladonna and she wrapped her arms around the girl, immobilizing her.  "We don't want to hurt you!" she exclaimed, clearly preparing for the inevitable struggle.

            Belladonna LeBeau screamed.  "Don' touch me!"

            Kitty started, her grip loosening.  But rather than running, the thief yanked herself away from ShadowCat and dropped the Book of Picard, wrapping her arms around herself and scrambling into a corner, whimpering.

            Scott, Kitty, and Bobby all stared at Belladonna, Remy completely forgotten.  Cyclops was vaguely aware of the pinned thief crying out.

            "Wh-what's wrong?  What happened?" Kitty moaned, holding her hands out in a placating manner and approaching Belladonna.  "Did I hurt you?"

            Bobby's features were rapidly returning to their normal state, and he reached out to gently touch Belladonna on the arm.  "It's okay.  We're not here to—"

            The girl jerked away from Iceman's touch.  "Don' touch me!" she screamed.

            "What's happened?" cried Jean's real voice – not her mind voice.  Scott looked up with no small relief to see her running down the hall.  "I felt a concussive force from her – a mental shield so strong—" she never took her eyes off the whimpering Belladonna as she spoke.  "Maybe I can …" she began to move forward.

            But it was at that moment that Jean was flung aside by a strong arm, and Bobby was brushed away and Kitty was pushed back.  "Don' touch her!" snarled a sharp voice.  Remy LeBeau had managed to get himself off the wall, and he protectively pulled Belladonna to his chest as she shivered.  His sunglasses were broken; they hung off one ear to reveal his eyes, which were red on black, glowing ever-so-slightly.  He glared at them all.  "Don' touch her!" he repeated.  "Didn't you hear her de firs' time?"  He dropped his chin on her head, hugging her, his eyes shut.  "Don't cry, _ma petite_," he crooned gently.  "Shh now, shhh.  Remy's got you.  Dere's nothin' to be scared of.  Nothin' …"

            Scott raised his eyebrows and looked at Jean, and she returned his gaze with a bewildered shrug.  Whether she meant to project her thoughts or not, her mental projection mirrored his own mind:

            _This may be harder than we thought._

*   *   *

            The man who watched from afar smiled to himself.  "Well done, X-Men.  Well done."

*   *   *

Author's Notes:  If this is hard to follow, let me know.  In some respects, it's supposed to be.  You're not supposed to know why some things happen.  Some stuff will be explained in the next chapter!

Stay tuned; next time, Remy and Belladonna are enrolled in the Xavier School for the Gifted, and we explore a little bit more of the relationship between these two thieves.

~~Vikki


	3. Open Doorways

**Chapter 2:  Open Doorways**

Author's Notes:  Thanks to all for your reviews, esp. Neurotic Temptress!  I'm correcting Bobby's name.  I can't believe I made such a stupid mistake … ::holds head in hands::

Think of this as a sort of crossover between the Ultimate X-Men universe and the X-Men Evolution universe.  I know more about X-Men Evolution than any other version of X-Men, so use that as a basis.

*   *   *

            Professor Charles Xavier steepled his fingers and gazed silently at the young man before him.  The young man was, from all appearances, relaxed and comfortable in the plush chair provided for him; legs crossed, he leaned back and smirked slightly, meeting the Professor's gaze with red-on-black eyes.  It took the expert eyes of Xavier to spot the signs of tension; the boy's jaw muscles were clenched and he shifted just a little too often in his chair.

            It was not hard to imagine the young man as an expert thief.

            Remy LeBeau was nearly 17 by all official records, although he had no birth certificate.  He was painfully thin, on the tall side, and quietly handsome in a way that suggested he would be a real 'knockout' when he was mature.  He wore his brown/auburn hair slightly shaggy and cut unevenly, the longest locks just brushing his hollow cheekbones.  If Xavier had let him, he would still have been wearing his sunglasses, obviously to hide his strangely colored eyes; he also would still have been clad in the travel-stained brown trenchcoat duster, despite the large hole ripped out of the shoulder.  Instead, he wore the old worn-out jeans he had come in, and the same black t-shirt as he had last night – the night he and Belladonna had been taken to the Institute.

            Although Xavier would never have admitted it, he had taken away the 'comfort items' – the sunglasses and trenchcoat – to help keep the young Remy LeBeau off-balance.  It wouldn't bode well to have the boy refuse his offer.

*   *   *

            Remy was nervous.  Heck, he was beyond nervous – he was scared.

            The man he sat before was bound to a wheelchair, but that didn't change the fact that he was in charge of the School that Belladonna and Remy had been shipped off to.  His head was shaven; his eyes were intense but calm, and his smile was friendly.  He was dressed quite nicely, in an outfit that matched the décor of the office they sat in.

            This was Professor Charles Xavier, the Headmaster of the Xavier Institute, a.k.a. Xavier's School for the Gifted.  He was the one who had orchestrated Remy and Belladonna's failure the night before; he was the man who had provided the spacious and comfortable room for Remy and Belladonna; he was the professor who had spoken directly into Remy's head, directing him to come to his office.

            _Dis__ is de man with all de cards,_ Remy thought, putting a great portion of his energy towards remaining outwardly calm.

            Professor Xavier steepled his fingers and merely looked at Remy.  Remy smirked and leaned back in his chair, meeting the professor's gaze.

            It was nearly a minute before the Professor spoke.  "How is your sister doing?"

            Remy hadn't quite been expecting that question as an opener, but he answered smoothly, "Jus' fine.  She's sleepin'.  She's pretty tough."

            "I'm sorry about last night.  I had hoped things would go more smoothly," Xavier continued sincerely.

            Remy clenched his teeth, released the tension, and said a little sharply, "Why'd you do it in de firs' place?"

            Xavier was unruffled, although he looked genuinely concerned.  "I wished – I still wish - to offer you and your sister asylum, and a place in the Xavier Institute.  I know you are pursued; I can protect you from your pursuer."

            Remy wanted nothing more at that moment then his sunglasses, so he could hide behind them.  "We're doin' jus' fine on our own, t'anks," he answered flatly.  "I know you say you mean to help us, but all you've done so far—"

            "Again, I apologize, but the damage is already done," Xavier sighed.  His eyes dropped to Remy's torso, and the young man balked slightly.  "You're malnourished, and likely your sister is as well.  You are not well, Remy."

            "I can take care of our needs," Remy said, composing himself.  "I appreciate de concern, but dis is nothin' I can't handle."

            "But can Belladonna?"  Xavier asked the question calmly, but it chilled the thief to the bone.  "Her health is failing faster than yours.  You may live for a few years yet, but she's only what?  15?  She needs a stable home and good food.  And as I said, I know you are pursued.  I can protect you and Belladonna from the threat hanging over your heads."

            Remy forced himself to calm down and consider the Professor's words.  Somehow, somewhere, things did not add up, but he was momentarily at a loss as to what was wrong with this offer.  "Okay.  Supposin' I accept dis offer – what do you want in return?"

            Xavier smiled warmly.  "Nothing, Remy.  You already know I'm a telepath; I used my abilities to find you and Belladonna via your mutant brainwaves.  I know about your special talents, and Belladonna's special talents, and all I wish is to help you hone your mutant abilities."

            Remy stiffened and had to take a slow breath.  _And that, _mon ami_, is the problem._

            Nothing was free.  Everything came at a price.

            Nothing made Remy more nervous than when the price was hidden.

            But Professor Xavier still had all the cards in his hands.  And he was right – oh so painfully right.  Remy was almost loath to look at Belladonna, she was getting so thin, and her pale face and sharp blue eyes and billowing blonde hair had more life than the rest of her.  And their pursuer … just thinking about him forced Remy to push back a bout of panic.  He couldn't risk another capture.  He simply couldn't …

            "Will you accept my offer?  You have nothing to fear from us, Remy.  No one at the Institute means you or your sister any harm."

            Slowly, uneasily, Remy nodded.  "For now," he said sharply.  "I reserve de right to walk out wit' Belle under my arm if I have to.  I won' let her get hurt."

            The Professor smiled.  "Fair enough.  Welcome to the Xavier School for the Gifted, Remy LeBeau."

            "T'anks, Professor … I think," Remy replied quietly.

*   *   *

            Xavier could not read Remy's thoughts as he walked out the door – the young man's mental barrier was too strong – but the two quiet words – 'I think' – rang in his ears.

            _Give him time, Charles,_ he thought to himself.  _It's only natural for him to distrust others …_ Sadly, it was that way too often with his young wards.

            "So, how'd he take it?"

            Xavier didn't look up at Logan, who was standing in the doorway with his arms crossed.  The mutant best known as Wolverine looked angry, but he almost always did.  It had taken almost seven years for Xavier to win this man's trust.  "I'm afraid he's still raw from last night," he said quietly.  "It was too rough.  However, I didn't foresee the pain Belladonna would experience from being touched …" 

            It had reminded Jean Grey sharply of their first contact with Rogue.  The telekinetic had said that the only difference was people didn't collapse upon contact with Belladonna's skin.

            "No one did," Logan snorted, comforting Xavier in his gruff way.  "You got the two kids, and no one got hurt.  You should be proud of yourself."

            Xavier nodded, smiling slightly.  "I know, and I'm proud of my team."  His smile faded.  "But the hardest part is yet to come.  It will be a long time before we have their trust … and even longer before we have their allegiance."

            Logan nodded, then began to turn to leave.  "Oh, and Logan?"

            "Yeah?"

            "How's our friend Mr. Guess doing?  Did you persuade him against pressing charges against the LeBeau's?"

            Logan smirked widely, a distinctive _snikt_ indicating he had released his claws from his fists.  "Oh, yeah, I convinced him.  He even agreed to return the Book of Picard to its rightful owners free of charge."

            "Good."  Xavier allowed himself a small smile of triumph as Logan left the room.

*   *   *

            "Shhh, _ma petite_.  Rest easy.  Remy is here.  I've got you.  You're safe."

            It was to this comforting mantra that Belladonna opened her eyes drowsily, the throes of the nightmare she had been having already fading from her mind's eye.  Vaguely she was aware of Remy's presence in her mind, 'charming' her to calmness.  She smiled slightly.  "Good morning, Remy," she said in their native tongue, stretching and rolling over onto her back.

Her older 'brother' was sitting on the end of the luxurious bed she lay on; he wasn't wearing his trademark duster or sunglasses, and he smiled for her.  "I'd say 'good morning' to you, too, but it's already twelve-fifteen.  So, 'good afternoon', Belle.  You slept well?"

Belle sat up with a bright smile for the older boy she called brother.  He wasn't her brother, at least not for real; her father had adopted Remy a long time ago, when Belladonna was only four years old.  However, in so many ways, Remy had always been more of a brother than her blood brother …

She swept aside painful memories.  "Slept well?  Slept long, is more like it," she observed.  She looked down at herself; she wore a long white flannel nightgown that she had never seen before.  "Where did this come from?  I don't remember getting into it."

Belladonna had to force down panic at the thought that she'd had her clothes changed for her by anyone.  The last time she had woken up in clothes that weren't her own didn't bear thinking about.

As always, Remy seemed to sense her sudden worry and put his hand on her arm.  "I put you in it, Belle.  We're safe.  For now."

_For now._  That was always the qualifier.  Remy didn't believe in 'forever', and Belladonna was gradually seeing less and less reasons to believe in that promising word too.  She closed her eyes.  "Thank you," she breathed.

What they didn't say was what they both knew: Belladonna hadn't 'slept well', and she never did.  Her artful dodge of Remy's question was routine.  Of course, it didn't help her regular nightmares that most of the night before had been a blur after Belladonna had been grabbed by that one girl.  All she remembered was Remy holding her, getting into a nice car, and collapsing into a warm place – apparently this bed – before falling into a deep and dream-riddled sleep.  "Um, so, where are we?"

Remy patiently filled her in on the situation, describing his conversation with Charles Xavier, although Belladonna got the distinct feeling he was leaving out parts of the story.  He also told her about his own misgivings.  "However, I've agreed to stay here, with you, for now," he finished.  "If you want to leave, then we'll go."

Belladonna smiled wanly.  "Lesser of two evils, huh?"

Remy's smile was not unlike her own.  "It … in some ways it will be a relief.  We won't be followed by … him … any more, and …"

Belladonna knew Remy well enough to know that what he wasn't saying was that he was concerned for Belladonna's health.  She smiled as reassuringly as she could manage.  "I trust you, Remy," she said warmly.  "Do you think it's the right thing to do – to stay here?"

Remy's bizarre eyes were filled with first brotherly love, then mirth, and finally apprehension, all in swift succession.  "At least for a little while.  But keep alert, Belle.  There's something that Professor Xavier isn't telling us."

Belle nodded mutely, sharing her brother's somber mood for a moment, before snaking her fingers around to stab Remy in the ribs.  The older boy yelped.  "What the—"

"You looked too serious," Belladonna teased.  "You make me nervous when you look like that!"

"You just like tickling me," Remy accused.

"Well, maybe," Belladonna said coyly.  "I—umph!"  She was cut off when a pillow hit her full in the face.

Remy laughed, holding up a pillow in self-defense when Belladonna returned his assault with a pillow of her own.  "You – won't – get – away – with – that!" she punctuated her words with her pillow.

"I was just evening the score," Remy's voice was plaintive, but Belladonna could hear the mirth in it.

And they both wondered, nearly at the same time – _when was the last time we were this carefree?_

_Never._

And even in their laughter, they were wary.

*   *   *

Author's After-Notes:  Well, whaddaya think?

Let me tell you all now, this is hardly my best writing.  But in some ways, this story is a stress-reliever from my huge _Weiss Kreuz_ epic fic, "Dream of Crimson".  Plus, I love Gambit so much I had to write about him!  :D

Stay tuned for the next chapter, in which Remy and Belladonna get a checkup and meet some of the other X-Men.  No, don't worry, Temptress – more X-Men will be making an appearance, including Storm, Rogue, Beast, and everyone's favorite elf – Nightcrawler!

~~Vikki


	4. Welcome to the X-Men

Chapter 3:  Welcome to the X-Men

Author's Notes:  Remy and Belladonna meet Rogue and Nightcrawler!  Oh, and don't forget Beast!  Sorry, no Storm – I could have slipped her in, I suppose, but I wasn't trying to put in every character I could all at once or anything.

*   *   *

            "_NON__!_"

            Hank McCoy approached Remy LeBeau (who had wedged himself firmly into the furthest corner of the room) slowly and calmly.  "I don't want to hurt you," he said gently.  "It's just a standard tetanus shot, perfectly routine," he tried explaining.

            "_Non__!_  Don' y' dare get dat t'ing near me—" the boy's shaking finger indicated the needle in Hank's hands—"an' y' not gettin' me back in dat room eit'er!"

            It was Remy and Belladonna's second day at the Institute, and Charles, ever protective of his wards, had directed Hank to give both thieves a general wellness examination and update their shot records.  Belladonna had yet to undergo the procedure, but judging from the way the usually calmer older sibling was handling things, Hank didn't hold out much hope for the girl.

            Hank tried a different tack.  "Look," he said, smiling reassuringly and gesturing to his blue skin, "I know I look scary, but I don't bite, really—"

            "I don' t'ink so," the thief interrupted flatly, hysteria just touching his voice.

            Hank sighed audibly, fearing he would have to tackle Remy to give him the shot, and knowing that would do more harm than good.  Remy suffered from a severe phobia of needles and laboratories/doctors' offices, probably brought on by an unimaginable trauma in his past associated with these locations and objects.  "Remy.  Be reasonable.  Calm down."

            Remy shook his head furiously.  His accent, unmistakably Cajun, was thickening with anxiety until he was almost impossible to understand.  "I won' let y' stab me wit' dat t'ing 'less I know 'xactly what's in it an' I put de needle t'get'er m'self!"

            _Well, we're getting somewhere ... slowly … _"I can arrange that, Remy.  You'll just have to come back into the laboratory—"

            "_Non__!_ No labs!"

            Hank's patience was wearing thin.  He couldn't risk giving Remy a shot with non-sterile needle by letting the shot be put together outside of the lab.  "If I bring the needles out here, so you can put together the shot, how will you know I didn't tamper with them?  How will you know I didn't hand you a mislabeled bottle?"

            Remy eyed him distrustfully.  Hank put forth the best effort he could to look friendly, holding his hands palm-out placatingly.  "Relax.  I'll take you into the room for lab work and just point you towards the cabinets.  I won't get within twenty feet of you," he said encouragingly.

            There was a long pause, and Hank watched Remy's chest rise and fall rapidly, his jaw clenching and unclenching.  Finally, the boy nodded, at first slowly, then more vigorously.  "A'right.  A'right," he said, his accent still thicker than usual.  "If dat's de deal …"

            "It is," Hank said, breathing a sigh of relief.  He motioned Remy towards the lab.  "It's all right, Remy.  It's okay."  He hesitated before continuing.  "If you ever need to talk to anybody about anything—"

            Remy shot him a fiery glare as he passed by, enhanced by the strange glowing quality of his eyes.  "Don' need no shrinks neither, _mon__ ami_," he said, nervousness still strong in his tone.

            _At least he's getting the shot.  At least he's getting the shot …_ Hank kept the mantra to himself.

*   *   *

            Belladonna LeBeau was just as difficult, but her resistance was quieter.

            "No."

            Hank sighed.  "If it'll make you feel any better, I can have Jean do the physical examination, but—"

            "No."  Belladonna was adamant, and her features were impassive.  Remy, who had refused to let her out of his sight, gripped her shoulder tightly.  Belladonna leaned into her older brother's embrace.

            Belladonna had taken the tetanus shot well enough; she allowed Hank to do the needle, despite Remy's protests.  However, she'd refused to let Hank touch her even to just apply the alcohol to clean the injection site.  Remy had had to do it.

            And now, she refused to submit to the physical wellness check beyond having Hank look down her throat and into her eyes, ears and nose.

            "I can understand your discomfort, but I have to make sure you're healthy.  All I – or Jean, maybe – is going to do is use this stethoscope—" Hank held up the instrument in question—"and check your internal organs … okay, I can understand why you'd want a girl to do it," he admitted with a smile, trying to be light-hearted and jovial.

            His attempt at humor fell flat as Belladonna repeated, "No.  I'm not lettin' anyone touch me."  Remy nodded sharply.

            Remy, Hank couldn't help noting, was still more jumpy than Belladonna even though his own physical examination was over.  He had insisted on thoroughly examining every instrument before it was used on him, and required that the same instruments be used on Belladonna.

            Belladonna was not frightened of the laboratory.  Remy was.

            _A _very_ severe phobia_, Hank thought.  Fortunately, Belladonna didn't seem to be affected by it; _her_ fear was associated with physical touch, which she tolerated from no one except her adoptive brother.  The trauma that must have led to such a fear was beyond Hank's experience to treat; he more than suspected it was sexual.

            He looked at the stone-faced pair and gave up.  "Fine, fine," he conceded.  "Just remember to do a self-examination for lumps after your menstrual cycle."

            Belladonna's smile of relief would have been priceless, if Hank hadn't felt that it was sorely misplaced relief.

*   *   *

            "So how are they?"

            Hank flipped through the information he'd gathered about Remy and Belladonna from their limited exams as he briefed Xavier on their health.  Fortunately, both had agreed to pee in a cup, as it hadn't involved any touching or probing instruments; the results had told him more about their nutrition than anything else.  "Remy is pretty badly malnourished.  I'm going to have to put him on a strict diet to bring him up to speed.  It's a wonder he hasn't begun to lose teeth," he added.  "Belladonna's malnourished too, but not to the same extent.  She'll have more leeway."  He slowly shook his head.

            "They're both severely underweight, but that's to be expected.  Remy's tall for his age.  Belladonna is a little underdeveloped for a female 15-year-old, but that could be a genetic thing …

            "Belladonna is on the verge of a bout of the common cold, but otherwise, they're in fair health.  I'll need to keep a close eye on them in the coming weeks."

            "So will we all," Xavier said quietly.  He frowned slightly.

*   *   *

            It was their third day at the Institute.  Xavier insisted that Remy and Belladonna move into the students' rooms, to help them integrate.  At first Remy had seemed reluctant, but he conceded.  Belladonna seemed a little hesitant too, but she was more open to the idea than her brother.

            Belladonna was assigned to room with Marie Darkholme (who preferred to go by Rogue at all times) and Kitty Pryde.  Although there were more than enough rooms in the X-Mansion for everyone to have their own room, Professor Xavier seemed to feel it built a sense of 'team spirit' to have classmates share rooms.

            Somehow the Professor had managed to retrieve some of the few items to Belladonna and Remy's name; among them, their break-in tools, Remy's _bo_ staff, and Belladonna's ancient, tattered teddy bear – Monsieur Teddy.  Like their clothes, Teddy had seen many rips and tears and had had to be re-stuffed and sewn back together.  It was Monsieur Teddy whom Belladonna clutched tightly to her chest as she walked into her new room for the first time.

            The first person she saw was Kitty Pryde, and she automatically jumped as she remembered the night of their 'capture'.  "Ah!" she gasped.

            Kitty jerked up her head, gave a little gasp of her own, then looked away.  "Sorry," she said quietly.

            Belladonna walked into the room and sat down on the spare bed.

            There was an awkward silence.  Kitty broke it after a minute or so.  "Um … I'm really sorry about the other night," she apologized.  "I didn't know – I mean, I wouldn't have grabbed you if—"

            "You didn't know," Belladonna interrupted.  She pasted a smile on her face.  "Now you do.  As long as you don' touch me, we'll get along jus' fine," she said.

            Kitty smiled with obvious relief.  "Well, I can live with that!" she giggled to let out the tension.  "That's two untouchable roommates—"

            "What's this all about?" drawled a voice at the door.

            "Oh!  Rogue," Kitty said with a smile.  She indicated Belladonna, who eyed the newcomer warily.  "Rogue, this is Belladonna.  She's gonna be rooming with us.  Belladonna, this is Rogue.  She's sort of the same as you," she said.

            "Huh?" This was Rogue, who wrinkled her nose at Belladonna.  "Y' suck people's brains out bah jus' touchin' them?"

            Belladonna raised her eyebrows.  "What?"

            Kitty broke into the conversation.  "Rogue can absorb other mutant's powers by touching them, so she can't touch anyone either," she explained.  "And I can walk through walls, but maybe you already knew that," she added sheepishly.  "What's your power?"

            Belladonna smiled at Rogue disarmingly and looked at Kitty.  "I can talk to computers."

            "Cool!"  Kitty exclaimed, jumping off her bed and flipping her computer on.  "Show me!"

            Rogue snorted.  "Ah'm gonna find somethin' else to do," she said with a disapproving air, walking back out the door.

            Kitty waved without looking back.  "See ya later, Rogue!"

            Belladonna shrugged and joined Kitty at the computer, leaving Rogue's attitude for another time.

*   *   *

            Remy was assigned to a room with Kurt Wagner and Bobby Drake.  His duster and sunglasses had finally been returned to him, and both had been repaired so phenomenally that Remy could hardly tell they had been broken or ripped.  He slipped on his sunglasses nonchalantly, slung his duster over his shoulder, and put on his best confident airs before strolling up to the room.

            The first thing he saw was a furry, blue … _creature_ with a long tail lounging on one of the beds in the spacious room, reading a comic book.  He pulled back a little, startled, when the creature lifted his head and looked directly at him.  "Well!  You must be our new roommate," he said warmly, sitting up.  His accent was German.

            Remy cautiously stepped through the doorway and made his way over to the unoccupied bed.  "I suppose I am," he drawled, throwing his duster over the bed and sitting.  "Name's Remy LeBeau.  And you are …?"

            "Kurt Wagner," he answered, although it sounded like 'Kurt Vagner' because of his accent.  He padded over to Remy on legs a bit like the hind legs of a kangaroo.  He stuck out a hand with two fingers and a thumb.  "Pleased to meet you!"

Remy took the hand with a smile and a shrug.  "Same to you," he acknowledged.  The strange hand felt bizarre, yet soft, in his own.

Kurt broke off the handshake and put his hands on his hips.  "So, what's your mutant power?" he asked.

Remy was instantly uncomfortable, but he hid it well.  He shook his head, pretending to become more interested in his fingernails.  "You'll see."

"Come on!  I'll show you mine," Kurt suggested playfully.

"I t'ought your mutation was obvious," Remy answered, raising his eyebrows.

"That's what everyone says," the elflike boy answered, grinning.  "You'd never guess what I can do."

"Den I'll find out your power when you find out mine," Remy said nonchalantly.

"You're no fun, you know that?"

"I was under de impression I made your morning a lot more interesting."

"Well, there is that …"

Just then Bobby walked in.  "Hey Kurt, wassup—whoa!"  He blinked, doing a double-take at the sight of Remy sitting on the bed.

Remy struggled to keep a straight face as Bobby's features registered first shock, then shame, then nervousness.  "I … y'know, I really didn't mean … look, man, I'm sorry about the other night.  I didn't mean to hurt your sister or anything."  He hung his head.

"Wait.  You have a sister?" Kurt exclaimed.

Remy ignored him.  Inside himself, Remy's overly protective side wrestled with his desire to 'fade' into the woodwork of the Xavier Institute.  The latter won.  "I know.  Dere's no harm done.  Belle's doin' fine," he said, waving it off.

Bobby breathed a sigh of relief.  "So, then, can we have a truce?" he asked hopefully.  "You won't come after me for revenge or anything?"

Remy made a show of inspecting the formerly torn shoulder of his duster.  "You're jus' lucky my duster's not torn any more, or I would've had to hang your guts from de roof," Remy said ominously.

Bobby looked as if he believed him, and Remy couldn't help bursting into a fit of laughter.  "Jus' kiddin', jus' kiddin'," he managed.  "Sure, truce, whatever."

Bobby laughed nervously.

"Okay, I'm trying again: Wait, you have a sister?"  Kurt repeated.

Remy, trying to compose himself, smirked.  "An' she's a knockout.  An' if you touch her, I'll kill you."

"Okay, no touch, just look," Kurt said in a joking manner.  "At least introduce me to her!"

"I dunno if she takes to de blue, furry type, _mon__ ami_."

"I'll have you know, _mein__ freud_, that this fur makes me irresistible to the women!"

"Not this again," Bobby groaned, having apparently recovered from the nasty shock Remy had given him.

            It looked as if Remy and Belladonna were going to integrate into the Institute's family just fine.

*   *   *

            "This is not a good development."  The man's voice was deep and full of power, most sinister.

            "Why don't we just go in and take them back by force, sir?"  This voice trembled very slightly, as the voice of a man trying very hard not to seem scared might have.

            "And alienate a huge faction of mutants?  I need my connections to remain loyal, not flee from me!" snapped the first voice.

            "Yes, sir!"

There was a brooding pause.  "Mahoney?"

"Yes, sir?"

"I have other matters to attend to, but keep an eye on them.  Do not alert them.  Let them be lulled into a sense of security."  A slow smile spread on the man's face.  "My experiments aren't done.  We will have them yet."

*   *   *

Author's End-notes:  Sorry about all OOCness of Rogue, which I plan to remedy by the next chapter.

I'm not sure who I'm pairing with whom, or if I'm going to include any romance at all.  There will be characters with crushes, but whether they are reciprocated or not is up in the air.

Thanks again for all the reviews!  ^^x They're a huge encouragement.

~~Vikki


	5. Charming Danger

**Chapter 4:  Charming Danger**

By Vikki

Author's Notes:  Just be forewarned: Rogue reappears, but she's not really the Rogue you know and love.  She's kind of … she's kind of a jerk.  That's on purpose.  In fact, any OOCness in this chapter is on purpose.  Please remember this is AU!

Oh, and finally, a warning – implied rape/slash!  I do love Remy, but it's about time I gave you a glimpse of the reasons why he and his sister are so cautious.

*   *   *

            A week later, Belladonna flopped onto her bed, exhausted and wanting only to sleep for a month.  Maybe longer.  She sighed and rolled onto her side, curling around Monsieur Teddy instinctively.

            Movement in the doorway made her jump and jerk her head up.  "Oh.  It's just you," she sighed in Cajun, looking up at her brother who now lounged in the doorway.

            Remy smiled for her and sat on the end of the bed, removing his sunglasses.  "How is my little sister doing?" he asked with a tired smile of his own.

            "You shouldn't be here, you dork," Belladonna rolled her eyes, propping herself up on her elbow.  "You know guys aren't allowed in the girls' rooms."

            "No one sees Remy when Remy doesn't want to be seen," her brother smirked.

            "Oh, shut up.  You and your ego," Belladonna laughed.  "Besides, don't you mean _Gambit_?"

            Remy pulled a face when she referenced the codename given him by Professor Xavier.  "Gambit," he repeated.  "What the heck is that supposed to be?"

            "Hey, it could be worse.  You could be Cyber," Belladonna snorted, talking about her own codename.  "For a guy who can read minds, Professor Xavier's awfully uncreative."

            Remy's grimace faded into the concerned look she knew so well.  "Are you doing okay?  Has anyone … anyone—"

            "No," she interrupted, knowing where he was going.  She smiled reassuringly, stifling a yawn.  "Everyone's been wonderful.  Rogue seems kinda touchy, but other than that … anyway, how about you?"

            "Eh, fine," Remy said dismissively, which Belladonna knew was his way of dodging her question.  She was tempted to pursue it, but before she could he added, "The Danger Room.  That's really something else, isn't it?"

            Now he was sneakily trying to get Belladonna to admit to being tired after their first Danger Room session that afternoon, and she didn't disappoint him.  "Wiped me out.  It wiped you out, too; don't try to hide it," she smirked when her brother straightened, visibly trying to look less exhausted.  "Go get some sleep, there's no shame in that."

            Remy smiled.  "You know me too well, _petite_," he said, reaching out to ruffle Belladonna's golden curls before she jerked away.

            "I think it's best that way," Belladonna observed quietly.  She laid back down on her bed.  "I'm going to sleep.  If you see them, tell Kitty and Rogue that the next person who disturbs me dies."

            She was satisfied to hear Remy chuckle.  "That I will, Belle," he promised, but his weight didn't leave the bedside.

            The last thing she felt before she slept was Remy's warm hand on her cheek, and the last thing she thought was, _He's too protective, but I wouldn't have him any other way._

*   *   *

            Remy didn't leave Belladonna's side until he was sure she was asleep and her breathing was slow and even.  Carefully getting up from the bed and slipping his sunglasses back on, he poked his head out the doorway and glanced around for possible observers before leaving the room (although he might not have minded if he ran into that Rogue character.  He didn't really know what she was like yet, but something about her magnificent pout and the white streak in her hair made him do a double-take every time he saw her.)

            _Ah, Belle, you know exactly when I'm lying._  Remy smiled slightly to himself.  She'd known that things weren't 'fine' on his end of the social scale.  Actually, they were kind of awkward, although no one he associated with would have said so.  He'd quickly made acquaintances of nearly everyone in the mansion, and learned several of their mannerisms, so he felt that he could measure with some accuracy the normalcy of their actions.

            It was more the great potential for something to go wrong that was bugging him.  Especially because things were leaning that way.  Leaning dangerously.

            His charm power was getting out of hand.

            Remy's 'charm power', as his sister had dubbed it, was erratic but powerful – easily more powerful than his ability to charge objects with kinetic energy, which was almost useless on any object bigger than a bowling ball.  Remy wasn't even entirely sure the 'charm' was genetic in origin, because it was more empathic in nature.  It allowed him to fool with another person's emotions; it usually influenced them to 'fall in love' with him (more like 'lust', he thought bitterly), or become more open to his suggestions.  Unfortunately, although Remy was able to manipulate it to some degree, he had very little control over it, and he could not turn it 'on' or 'off'.  Sometimes his charm was surprisingly strong, drawing as many as five to seven people to him at once; other times its influence was miniscule and practically not there.

            His control usually decreased under stress, and currently his wariness of his surroundings was certainly stressful.

            And right now, that was causing … problems.

            For the first few days of their stay at the Xavier Mansion, Remy's charm had thankfully been 'low'.  The only time Remy had wished it stronger was when he was dealing with the Professor, but he suspected that the 'charm' didn't work too well on telepaths anyway.

            But over the last week, slowly but surely the strength was increasing.  And Remy had begun to notice some people acting … a little strangely around him.

            Bobby had done a double-take at him, then looked embarrassed and left the room.

            Kitty (whom Remy already had pinned as having a bit of a crush on Kurt), had given him a coy look before giggling like a schoolgirl.  Kurt looked hurt.

            And Hank McCoy had looked at Remy's body in ways Remy didn't want to contemplate before he had shaken his shaggy head and confusedly wandered off, his lunch forgotten.

            The main trouble, Remy thought, was that there was no way to shut his charm power off.  It was always there; Remy was usually able to sluice it off to safe avenues, but occupied as he was with Belle's safety and the question of what Xavier wanted, he hadn't been able to concentrate on it.

            _Well, might as well make it work for me_, Remy thought to himself, clamping down on the charm for the moment as best he could.  _It won't be the first time I've used it to get what I want …_

            He shuddered, remembering things best forgotten.  _Or need._

*   *   *

_            "Please!  Please don' tell 'im we're here!" he cried, desperate.  "I'll do anyt'ing!"_

_            The huge creature he pleaded his cause to was so mutated that he didn't even look human any more.  He raised an eyebrow.  "You are in no position to ask for a favor, and you have nothing I want," he reminded his prisoner, "And this client you so fear has promised a hefty sum for you two, although you are untrained."_

_            The prisoner cast a glance at his unconscious sister before turning his bizarre eyes back on his captor.  His decision was made.  He loosed his charm power on the creature, knowing what it would do, watching fearfully as the calculating look faded into dark lust.  "Please," he said again, frightened of the word even as it sprang from his throat._

_            An oversized hand came up to caress his jawline.  "Didn't you say you'd do anything?" his captor asked throatily._

_            The prisoner shuddered, swallowing convulsively.  "_Oui_," he whispered.  "Anyt'ing."_

_            The creature smiled crookedly.  "Done," he said, before roughly kissing the prisoner on the mouth._

*   *   *

            Belladonna really bothered Rogue.

            When Rogue returned to her room after the first Danger Room session she'd had with 'Cyber' and 'Gambit', she found the girl sleeping peacefully on her bed, her teddy bear clutched to her chest.  She occasionally muttered in the pseudo-French that she and Remy spoke as their native tongue, Cajun, and despite Rogue's knowledge of the dialect's mother language, she could not understand the speech.

            But that wasn't why Belladonna bothered Rogue.

            In some silly way, she was jealous.  Being intolerable of touch had been _her_ department before Belladonna showed up.  Now people joked that they had found her twin sister.

            But that, too, wasn't the only reason Belladonna bothered Rogue.

            Rogue wasn't entirely sure of the reason why every time she looked at Belladonna, she became more annoyed than usual.  Being annoyed was the general state for Rogue anyway; most of the antics of Kitty got on her nerves, Jean's preppy attitude (and the fact that she had Scott's attention) bugged her, Bobby and Kurt drove her crazy, and Hank's efforts to placate only upset her.  Only Logan and Ororo didn't agitate her.  But Belladonna in particular bothered Rogue.

            It probably had to do with her attitude.  Belladonna was practically Rogue's antithesis; where Rogue was tough and independent, Belladonna was vulnerable and confiding; where Belladonna was friendly and smiling, Rogue was withdrawn and scowling.  And yet, in other ways, they were the same; Rogue liked to keep her secrets, and Belladonna definitely had some of her own, and both had a southern (or southern in origin) accent.  It was just the right combination to grate on Rogue's nerves.

            It didn't help that she had a brother like Remy.

            There was something about Remy that made Rogue both love him and hate him at the same time, and it went something like this: every time he smiled at her she went weak in the knees from attraction, and she hated him for making her feel that way.  But he wasn't around Rogue enough to really bug her.

            Belladonna, on the other hand, was always around, being cheerful despite her revulsion at physical touch, proving that if Rogue had made the effort, she too could have been friendly without expressing such an emotion with a hug or a pat on the back.

            Belladonna was what Rogue wanted to be and wasn't.

            That was why Belladonna bothered Rogue.

            Rogue 'harrumphed' and flopped onto her bed, flinging one arm over her eyes, and finally falling asleep from sheer boredom.

*   *   *

            "The boy isn't telling us something," Xavier said irritably.  "He's able to somehow … to somehow alter the chemical processes of the brain, making people around him feel attraction for him. How come I didn't know about this before?"

            His glare was reserved for Hank, who had been in charge of evaluating the LeBeau's mutant powers before they had entered the Institute.  Beast could only shake his head in response.  "I didn't detect it because it's probably not related to his mutative powers," he said apologetically.  "It seems to be more of a form of empathy, which is completely different from telepathy.  It's not the result of a genetic mutation at all."

            "This could be a problem," Xavier observed with a sigh.

            "Why?  This isn't going to affect your Dream at all," observed Logan.

            "But it could influence the people whom I hope to dedicate to it," Xavier answered, shaking his head.  "Logan?"

            "Yeah?"

            "Keep an eye on Remy.  And tell Scott to help you out.  He'll be joining us shortly as it is."

*   *   *

            Meanwhile, a dark-skinned woman with long, pure white hair and unearthly blue eyes looked up at the X-Mansion from her seat in the back of a taxicab.  She brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear and smiled.

            "It's good to be back home," said Ororo Munroe.

*   *   *

Author's End-Notes:  And yes, in the next chapter, Ororo will make her real appearance.  I like Storm, but I don't know much about her, so bear with me.  I'll do some research, I promise.

Again, huge thanks for the reviews and input!  It affects me and encourages me more than you may ever know.  Yes, what you have to say about couples makes a difference to me, but I'd appreciate it if you'd tell me more than what pairing you'd like to see!  (Romance is definitely not going to be the concentration of this story.)

Please send more feedback!  :D  I love reviews!  ^^x

~~Vikki


End file.
